Lifting-jack.



G. LANE.

mms JACK.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 17| I9I6.

Patented May 29, 1917.

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anne/@woll UNTER@ STATES PATENT @Fflllil GEORGE LANE, OF POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO LANE BROS. CO., OF POUGHKEEPSIE, NE/V YORK, A JONT-STOCK ASSOCIATION OE NEW YORK.

LIFTING-JACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 29, 1917.

Application filed November 17, 1916. Serial No. 131,911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, GEORGE LANE, a citiof the United States, and resident of Poughkeepsie, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lifting-Jacks, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in lifting jacks adapted more especially for use in connection with motor vehicles, though by no means limited to such use, and is designed as an improvement or modification of the jack which forms the subject of Letters Patent of the United States, No. 1,122,285, dated December 22nd, 1914.

rlhe invention has among its objects the following to Wit: To dispose' of he protruding bell cranks and C spring, which project outside and rearwardly of the case and which are thus liable to damage.

To provide an automatic drop for the lift bar when not under load, as in lowering an automobile axle after the wheel has touched the ground, so that when there is no longer necessity for lowering the jack, notch by notch, the lift bar will drop automatically.

To provide a design in which the mechanism effecting the lifting and lowering operations are more completely inclosed and inaccessible and free from being tampered with.

To include an operating button for the shift rod.

lVith these objects in view the invention includes the novel features of construction and arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and particularly defined by the appended claims.

ylever-al embodiments of my invention are illustrated' in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a jack embodying my invention with the casing open on one side to show the operating mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a view on a larger scale with the parts in position to elevate the liftingbar.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 with the parts in position to lower the lifting bar step by step.

Fig. a is a similar view illustrating the action of the pawls when the load on the lifting bar is removed and it drops automatically.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the actuating lever and handle bar (partly broken away) viewed from the side opposite to that of the preceding figures.

Fig. (3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the inner end of the handle bar.

Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views of the actuating button.

Figs. 9 to 11 are detail views of a modification.

Referring by reference characters to these drawings the numeral 1 designates the base, 2 the standard and 3 the lifting bar which may be constructed and arranged as described in my aforesaid patent, the lifting bar having on one face the ratchet teeth 3a and at its upper end a suitable head 3b.

The holding pawl -1 is pivotally supported in a suitable manner upon the standard while the lifting pawl 5 is similarly mounted upon the inner end of the lifting or actuating lever 6.

The actuating lever G is provided with a socket G to detachably receive a hand lever and said actuating lever is pivoted at 10 between the side plates 8 suitably secured to the standard and forming a housing or casing for the actuating lever, pawls and controlling mechanism hereinafter described.

The actuating lever supports a carrier for a pawl equalizing device or lever 9, which carrier is movable longitudinally of the actuating lever or in a direction toward and from the lifting bar and pawls.

I prefer to make this carrier in the shape of a yoke or U-shaped member 11, one arm 11al of which is pivotally supported by the actuating lever, while the other arm 11b eX- tends transversely through an open space 6b in the actuating lever so .as to be capable of being swung in said space toward and away from the lifting bar.

A spring 12 acting on this yoke tends to keep the arm 11b normally forced away from the lifting bar, the extent of movement being determined by the wall of the opening in the actuating lever through which the yoke part or bar 11b extends.

To the extremity of this yoke member or bar 11b is pivotally connected an equalizing device or lever 9 which I prefer to form in the shape of a cross head or bar having its intermediate portieri pivoted to the arm 11b and its extremities connected by springs 18 and la to the pawls 5 and 4, respectively.

As hereinbefore stated, the carrier is pressed by its spring normally away from the lifting r ratchet bar, carrying with it the equalizer which, by its connection with the pawls through the springs 13 and 1li, tends to hold these pawls swung backward out of engagement with the teeth of the ratchet bar, the backward movement of tne pawl 5 being limited by a stop or abutment 15 on one of the side plates, and the backward movement of the pawl l being limited by providing it with a tail ldwhich contacts with the rear wall member 2b of the standard, shown in any suitable means may, however, be provided for limiting this backward movement of the pawls.

Normally therefore the pawls and equalizing device are in position for lowering the lifting bar7 but before explaining the lowering action 1 Vwill describe hcw the lifting action is effected.

rEhe handle bar 7 is designed to be locked in position in the socket of the actuating lever by a pawl Y, he handle bar ari-ies at one side a longitudinally movable rod 17 suitably neld in position9 as for instance, by having its front end doubled backward upon itself, as indicated at '17, (Fig. 5), said end being` guided in an elongated opening' 17 in the end of the handle bar. rilhc rear end of the rod connected te a suitable ctuating device, preferably in the form of a button, indicated at 18. This consists of a disk having a hub 182L jonrnaled upon a pin 1f) secured to the handle bar, said disk hai.'l an ani-.ular flange 18') which is cut away or interrupted for a suitable di@- tance as indicated at 18C. opening thus formed the rear end of the rod passed and is eccentrically connected to the disk or button, preferably by having its end turned outwardly and passed through an opening, as indicated at 17u. The disk or button is provided with suitable means for convenimitly turning it, such for instance, as wings 18d. rlhe ends of the flange i8" contacting' with the rod 17, as the button is turned, serve s stops for limiting y the inovenrmt of the button in either direce tion, and the arrangement is such that the rod is automatically locked .in its forward position by reason of the fact that its point of pivotal eo. ncction with the button passes the center or axis of the button, shown in 'l and the lower dotted lines, Fig. l.

rlhis button with its wings and eccentric connection vwith the rod provides a convenient leverage for multiplying the force thiasting the rod forward, and also whether the jack is .et for raising' or lowering by providing convenient markings on the button to register with the. suitable indication on the handle bar.

`The forward end the rod passes into a Through the rds convenient means for determining' groove 6C in the lower side wall of the actuating lever in line with the carrier or yoke bar 111 and when the handle bar is in position in the actuating lever socket and the rod 17 has been pressed forward by the proper rotation of the button the carrier is pushed forward against tension of its spring and both springs 13 and 14 are placed under compression, whereby they tend to force the pawls into engagement with the v the load the button is turned to retract thev rod 17, (as indicated by the upper dotted lines Fig. l). This allows the carrier to move backward under the tension of its spring, which is strong enough to place springs 13 and la under tension. The eaualizing member or cross bar has a rearwardly extended or widened portion, provided with a slot or guide S which when the equalizer is forced backwardly by the carrier spring engages with a pin or projection Q0 carried by one of the side plates.

lfVhen the equalizer is thus engaged by the pin. it is caused to rock as the actuating lever moved up and down, due to the fact that the point of pivotal connection of the eeualizer to the carrier is in advance of the pin 20.

`Lupposing at the completion of the lifting action the jack has come to rest with the hand lever depressed and the upper pawl retaining the load, (as shown in full lines, lll 5) and the lowering action to be desired, the backward movement of the rod 1T before referred to allows tne spring to force the carrier and yoke backward.

rilhe engagement of the pin 20 with the slot 9 insures the positioning of the equalif/.eito apply tension to the springs 13 and 1li. alternately. ln other words, with the hand lever depressed and the lifting pawl 5 in engagement with the ratchet bar the upper end of the equalizer is rocked forward by contact with pin 2O with the upper wall of the slot, whereby spring 13 is relieved of tension, while the lower end of the equalizer is swung backward away from pawl l, placing tension on spring 14 connected thereto. Raising of the lifting bar under the load rocks the equalizer in a reverse direction, (as indicated by dotted lines Fig. 3) its upper end moving outwardly and applying tension to spring 13, while its lower end moves inwardly until spring 14 acts as a compression spring, or its coils are closed, when it forces pawl 4 into engagement with one of the teeth of the ratchet bar. As soon as the load is supported by pawl J.- spring' l?, pulls pawl 5 out of en- `iagemeut with the ratchet bar.

. This operation is repeated as long as the lifting bar is being lowered under a load, the rocking movement of the equalizer' lalternately applying tension to one spring and compression to the other.

lt is desirable in a ack of this character to make provision for the dropping of the lifting bar automatically when the load released.

lfor example when an automobile axle is being lowered it is of advantage to have the lifting bar drop automatically as soon as the axle is lowered sufficiently to allow the tire to contact with the ground so to avoid the necessity of working the handle up and down to lower the lifting bar the balance of the distance. My improved construction provides for this as it will be observed that when the actuating lever and handle bar during the lowering' action are in neutral position bot-h springs 13 and 14 are under slight tension tending to pull both pawls backwardly. rfhis tension is so slight that during the normal lowering action it is ineffective to pull the pawl which is carrying the load out of engagement with the teeth of the ratchet bar bearing thereon by reason of the frictional. engagement of the respective parts under the load.

`llflhen the load is released, however, the tension of the spring when the operating lever is in neutral position7 is suflicient to overcome this friction and hence the pawl supporting the lifting bar is drawn out of engagement with the tooth and the bar drops.

instead of using a swinging carrier for the equalizer, I may use a sliding carrier as shown in Figs. 9 to ll.

ln this modification, make the equalizer in the form of a pair of cross heads or bars 9x connected together at top and bottom by spacing posts These bars lie on opposite sides of the actuating lever Gx and the latter has a longitudinal slot o through which passes a sliding pivot pin 9b having its ends connected to said bars or members 9X, this pin forming the carrier for the equalizer.

The actuating lever 6X has a longitudinally extended recess in which is seated a coiled spring 12X which tends to keep the carrier normally pressed away from the lifting bar and pawls to the limit allowed by the slot oz.

lvhen the carrier is in this position the parts are set for lowering the ratchet bar as illustrated in Fig. 3. The carrier may be forced forward against the tension of the spring by a rod, such as shown at T, Fig. il, or any other suitable means.

The spacer posts are preferably provided with grooves around which the ends of the springs lo* may be hooked.

What claim is l. A. jack comprising a standard, a lift ing bar, an actuating lever, a lifting pawl and a holding pawl cooperating with said lifting bar, a carrier movable longitudinally of the actuating lever, a spring normally pushing said carrier away from the lifting bar, an equalizing member pivotally supported from said carrier, and having its ends resiliently connected respectively to said pawls7 and means for pressing said carrier toward the lifting bar.

2. A lifting jack comprising a standard, a lifting bar, an actuating lever, a lifting pawl and a holding pawl cooperating with said lifting' bar, a carrier on the actuating lever movable toward and from the lifting bar, an equalizing device pivotally supported from the carrier and having portions resiliently connected with said pawls, a spring normally pressing the carrier away from the pawls, means for pressing said carrier toward the lifting bar against the tension of said spring to position the pawls for a step by step lifting action, and means operative when the carrier is pressed away from the lifting bar for rendering said pawis effective for step by step lowering of the lifting bar.

3. A jack comprising a standard, a lifting bar, an actuating lever, a lifting pawl and a holding pawl cooperating with said lift-- ing bar, a carrier movable longitudinally of the actuating lever to either o" two positions, an equalizing member pivotaily mounted on said carrier and having' upper and lower portions resilicntly connected to said pawls, said equalizing device when in one position applying compression to said springs, and means acting on said equalizer when in its other position for applying compression and tension to said springs alternately at the extremities of the up and down movement of the actuating lever.

et. A jack comprising a standard, a lifting bar, an actuating lever, a lifting pawl and a holding pawl cooperating with said lifting bar, a carrier movable longitudinallyl of the actuating lever, an equalizing lever pivotally supported from the carrier, springs connecting said lever with said awls, means for shifting said carrier into either of two determined positions, said equalizing lever having a guide extending transversely thereinto fromone side, and a projection on the standard adapted to engage the guide when the lever is in one of said determined positions.

5. A jack comprising a standard, a lifting bar, an actuating lever, a lifting pawl and a holding pawl cooperating with said lifting bar, a carrier yoke having an arm lllo pivotally supported by said actuating lever and another arm movable longitudinally of said actuating lever, an equalizing lever pivotally connected to said other arm, springs connecting said equalizing lever with said pawls, means for swinging said yoke to carry the lever bodily into either of two determined positions, said equalizing lever having an open slot in one side, and a fixed projection adapted to engage said slot in one of said determined positions.

G. In a lifting jack, a standard, a lifting bar, an actuating lever, lifting and holding pawls, a carrier on the actuating lever movable toward and from the lifting bar, a spring pressing it normally away from the lifting bar, an equalizing lever having its ends resiliently' connected with said pawls,

' an operating rod movable longitudinally of the actuating lever and having an end adapted to engage said carrier, and eccentric means for actuating said rod.

7. ln a lifting jack, a standard, a lifting bar guided therein, a casing including parallel side plates, an actuating lever pivoted between said side plates, lifting and holding pawls cooperating with said lifting bar, lever means lying against the side of said actuating lever, and having upper and lower arms connected respectively to said pawls, a fulcrum for said lever, means movably carried by said actuating lever, means for moving said fulcrum to either of two positions to determine the action of the pawls in raising or lowering the lifting bar, and contact means on one of the side plates for coperating with the lever means when the fulcrum is in one position.

8. ln a lifting jack, a standard, a lifting bar guided therein, a-casing including parallel side walls, an actuating lever pivoted between said side plates, lifting and holding pawls coperating with said lifting bar, lever means lying in proximity to the side of the actuating lever and having upper and lower arms connected respectively to said pawls, a fulcrum for said lever means shiftable lengthwise of said actuating lever to either of two determined positions, means for moving said fulcrum to either position to determine the action of the pawls in raising or lowering the lifting bar, said lever means including two rearwardly extending parts with a space between, and a stud on one of the side walls to contact with said rearwardly extending parts when the fulcrum is shifted to lowering position.

9. A jack comprising a standard, a lifting bar, an actuating lever, a handle detachably engaging the same, a lifting pawl and a holding pawl coperating with the lifting bar, a carrier movable longitudinally of the operating lever, a yielding connection between the carrier and each pawl, and means for moving the carrier mounted on said detachable handle, substantially as described.

10. A ack comprising a standard, a lifting bar, an actuating lever, a lifting pawl and a holding pawl cooperating with the lifting bar, a carrier supported by and movable longitudinally of the actuating lever te either of two determined positions for determining the upward or downward movement of the lifting bar and resilient means connecting said carrier with the pawls.

11. A jack comprising a standard, a lifting bar, an actuating lever, a detachable handle for operating the same, a lifting pawl and a holding pawl cooperating with the lifting bar, a carrier movably longitudinally of the operating lever, a spring for moving the carrier in one direction, manually operated means mounted on the detachable handle for moving it in the other direction, and a yielding connection between the carrier and each pawl.

l2. in a lifting jack, a standard, a lifting bar, an actuating member, lifting and holding pawls, a carrier on the actuating member movable toward and from the lifting bar, a spring pressing it normally away from the lifting bar, an equalizing lever having its ends resiliently connected with said pawls and operable by said carrier, a handle detachably engaging said actuating member and means carried by said detachable handle for operating the carrier to adjust the said equalizing lever from a point distant therefrom, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

GEORGE LANE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

